Holiday!
by badly-knitted
Summary: It's the most wonderful prospect ever; Jack and Ianto are actually going away on a proper holiday! Ianto can't wait to kick back and just relax. Written for the sSpring/Summer Fest at torchwood fest. Also for BelladonasMom, who wanted to read about the tropical getaway Jack promised Ianto in my fic 'Anywhere But Here'.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Holiday! – Part 1

 **Author:** badly-knitted

 **Characters:** Ianto, Jack, Team members mentioned.

 **Rating:** PG

 **Spoilers:** None.

 **Summary:** It's the most wonderful prospect ever; Jack and Ianto are actually going away on a proper holiday! Ianto can't wait to kick back and just relax.

 **Word Count:** 1605

 **Written For:** Week One prompts 'To Be Read List, Chair, Sleep,' at torchwood_fest.

Also for BelladonasMom, who wanted to read about the tropical getaway Jack promised Ianto in my fic 'Anywhere But Here'.

 **Beta:** My lovely friend milady_dragon. Thanks so much for being my beta again!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Torchwood, or the characters. They belong to the BBC.

.

 **sandysan2013:** I think most people could use one. Just think, ny food you want, cooked to perfection, at a moment's notice!

Thank you!

.

 **DottyWho:** Thank you!

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Holiday!

To Ianto's mind, that had to be the sweetest word in the English language. It was even better than that rarely heard phrase, 'It's about time you had a day off.' Not that he actually ended up getting the promised day off most of the time, and on those rare occasions he did, his free time usually went on doing long-overdue household chores like laundry, ironing, cleaning, mowing the lawn, cutting the hedge…

Why had he ever thought moving into a house would be better than living in his poky little top floor flat? Oh yes, that was why, wasn't it? The flat was way too small, especially when Jack was there, and he'd wanted more space. Hah! More space meant more cleaning, and a house meant a garden, and a garden meant even more chores than he already had because plants would insist on growing… Small wonder that even when he got a day off, he didn't.

That was beside the point right now though. At this particular moment in time, Ianto's head was fairly ringing with the word 'HOLIDAY' in big, flashing, multicoloured, neon-bright capital letters.

Six months ago, hearing that word applied to himself would have been a pipe dream. Gwen got holidays, because it was important that she didn't let her relationship with Rhys slide, especially now that they were married. Owen and Tosh got holidays, but only short ones, because neither could be spared for more than the occasional long weekend. Ianto didn't get holidays because Jack didn't take holidays; where was the point in going away without his other half? In a very real sense, Jack _was_ Torchwood. He was the boss, the one who gave the orders, the one who made the tough decisions, and the one who shouldered the blame whenever anything went wrong. Jack could be spared even less than Owen and Tosh. Then again, the whole of Torchwood would collapse without Ianto, so it could be argued that he was even more essential to its continued smooth running than the boss was.

But that was six months ago, and this was now.

These days Ianto had a full-time assistant. George the suit was nothing if not efficient. He could keep the Hub clean, care for the residents, carry out minor repairs, do the filing, and make coffee practically as well as Ianto did. He could even order the team's lunch online as long as someone else went up to the Tourist Office to fetch it. But as clever as George was, there were still a few things he couldn't do, like the shopping, and picking up the dry cleaning. Those were minor tasks though, and barely worth mentioning; the point was that George's assistance freed up a tremendous amount of Ianto's time, enabling him to concentrate on fieldwork and the ongoing task of sorting out the archives. That was one job he wasn't going to trust to anyone else, not even his assistant.

George wasn't the only new member of the team, however. Shortly after Ianto's spare suit had taken on a life of its own, and then most of his regular duties, Jack had recruited Mickey Smith, a former companion of the Doctor's, who had returned from an alternate reality a few months earlier. As soon as Mickey was well settled in, Jack had started looking for more new recruits, but so far they'd only added one more person to the team, in the form of Andy Davidson, former PC and Gwen's old partner. Jack still wanted to bring in another two or three new field agents, plus a second medic, but finding suitable people wasn't a task to be rushed. For the moment they could manage well enough with the people they had, and the best part of it was that now, at long last, Ianto was going on holiday!

Better yet, now that Owen had proved himself to be a capable leader, he was going to be taking charge for the next couple of weeks so that Jack could have a holiday too! Ianto felt like all his dreams were coming true at once. Two glorious weeks of getting away from it all, complete with Jack, somewhere sunny and warm. It was going to be sheer bliss!

Ianto had it all planned as he finished packing, making sure he had an ample supply of waterproof, high factor sunscreen to keep his pale Welsh skin from burning. He'd loaded his Kindle with all the books on his 'To Read' list, so when they got to where they were staying he planned to stake his claim on a beach chair in a shady spot, or at least one with a sunshade attached. Then he was going to spend his days alternately reading and sleeping, with the occasional dip in the pool or the sea to cool himself down. It would be just what he needed to recharge his batteries: sun, sand, sea, and plenty of rest.

The adults' only resort they had picked was perfection. Guests each had their own cabana on the beach, far enough apart not to be overlooked by their neighbours. There were several five-star restaurants on site, no less than three outdoor swimming pools, casinos, clubs, a golf course, and various other entertainments. Ianto had no intention of making use of most of the facilities; their stretch of beach, the restaurants, and maybe the closest swimming pool, would be all he needed to enjoy his long-awaited holiday. What did he and Jack need entertainment for? They were here to relax.

On the first morning after their arrival, Ianto slept late while Jack was out exploring, then had a leisurely breakfast for once before settling down on a lounger beneath the palm trees, a short distance from their cabana. Turning on his faithful Kindle, he opened the first book on his holiday reading list and was soon deeply involved in the plot.

"There you are! Didn't you see my note?" Jack's shadow fell across Ianto, waking him from the light doze he'd fallen into.

He peered at Jack over the tops of his sunglasses. "Note? Nope, sorry, didn't see it. What did it say?"

"I booked us in for a round of golf this morning, but you didn't show up so I had to cancel." Jack's face was set in an odd expression halfway between a frown and a pout. Ianto thought it made him look a bit like a pug.

"Jack, neither of us plays golf!"

"They have instructors here; we can learn!"

"Why? Whenever it comes on TV, you say it's a silly game."

"It is, but a lot of people seem to like so I thought I'd find out why."

"You can do that without me though, can't you? Trying to hit a small ball into a hole in the ground isn't my idea of fun."

"But I wanted us to do things together!" The pout had finally won over the frown. "We hardly seem to see each other when things are busy at work, and now we have a whole two weeks, and there are so many fun things we can do! I signed us up for scuba diving lessons, and horse riding, and kayaking, and there's a nature walk tomorrow that looks really interesting, trekking into the jungle. Then there's the beach volleyball tournament, and water polo, and art classes, and a karaoke contest every night that we just have to enter…"

Ianto stared at Jack, aghast. "You want to do all that? I thought we came on holiday to rest! I'm not like you, Jack; I'm only human, and I'm worn out. All I want is to relax, read, take an occasional swim, and catch up on my sleep!"

Jack looked stunned. "You just want to lie on that lounger for the whole two weeks and read? If that's all you're going to do, why did we bother coming all the way to this beautiful island? You're not going to see much of anything from there. You could have sat, and read, and slept just as easily at home." Jack flumped down onto the sand beside Ianto's lounger, looking deflated. "Never thought our first proper holiday together, in an island paradise no less, would end up being boring."

Ianto frowned; much as he hated to admit it, Jack had a point. They'd both eagerly searched online, trying to find the perfect holiday destination, and now all he was doing was ignoring all the things that had made them choose this resort in the first place.

"How about this for a compromise? You let me have a lie in every day and spend the morning relaxing, while you go off and learn to play golf if you want, then we'll have lunch together and spend the afternoon doing other things."

After a few minutes' consideration, Jack nodded. "Sounds fair. So, horse riding this afternoon? Then we can go for a swim afterwards to cool off, and maybe take in an art class."

"It's a deal." Ianto turned off his Kindle; his book would have to wait for now. "How about lunch? I'm starving."

"I know just the place! I found it while I was exploring; it's not far from the stables and they serve the most beautiful salads I've ever seen, like a rainbow on a plate!"

Ianto laughed. "Okay, just let me shower and change into something more suitable for riding and we'll go try these rainbow salads of yours."

Maybe this wouldn't turn out to be the kind of holiday he'd planned, but what did it really matter? Rest was probably overrated anyway.

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TBC in Part 2


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Holiday! – Part 2

 **Author:** badly-knitted

 **Characters:** Ianto, Jack.

 **Rating:** PG

 **Spoilers:** None.

 **Summary:** Now that he's been convinced not to laze away their holiday doing nothing, Ianto is quite looking forward to some of the activities Jack has planned for them.

 **Word Count:** 2110

 **Written For:** Week Two prompts 'Rental, Dreaming, Colourful,' at torchwood_fest. Also for BelladonasMom, who wanted to read about the tropical getaway Jack promised Ianto in my fic 'Anywhere But Here'.

 **Beta:** My lovely friend milady_dragon. Thanks so much for being my beta again!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Torchwood, or the characters. They belong to the BBC.

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 **sandysan2013:** Ianto would have been bored with resting in a day or two anyway. They'll still get to rest and relax, but they'll have some fun too.

Thank you!

.

 **DottyWho:** Thank you!

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When Ianto emerged from the cabana's spacious and well-equipped bathroom a short while later, he was dressed in comfortable tan chinos and carrying a short-sleeved white cotton shirt in one hand. In the other was an open bottle of sunscreen.

"Lend a hand or two?" he asked Jack. "I don't want my back burning while we're out riding."

"Your wish is my command," Jack replied with a grin and an extravagant bow.

"Twpsyn," Ianto accused fondly. "Just get on with it. And don't take all day about it either. I'm ready for my lunch!"

"I can tell," Jack deadpanned as Ianto's stomach rumbled loudly. "You can really work up an appetite doing absolutely nothing all morning."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Haha. Fruit makes for a refreshing breakfast, but it's not exactly filling."

"Then I won't keep you waiting for lunch any longer than necessary," Jack assured him, whisking the bottle of sunscreen from Ianto's hand and squeezing a generous amount into his own palm. "Turn around."

Deft hands made short work of applying the lotion, smearing a thick coating over every inch of Ianto's bare skin before massaging it in.

"If you get sunburned now, it won't be your back." Jack moved across to the kitchen sink to wash his greasy hands, calling over his shoulder, "Did you do your ears and nose? I know how easily they burn, and I don't want you getting mistaken for a lobster at the restaurant."

"Thoroughly coated," Ianto assured him, slipping his shirt on and buttoning it. "Just like every other part of me that could potentially catch the sun. So, where's this restaurant with the rainbow food?"

"Across the other side of the island."

"That far? That must be at least a half-hour's walk! Probably more in this heat!"

"Have no fear!" Jack steered Ianto out the cabana's front door, locking it behind him. "Your carriage awaits!" He pointed to what was sitting on the path outside.

"A golf buggy? You didn't 'borrow' it from the golf course this morning, did you?" Ianto fixed Jack with a suspicious look.

"No! What d'you take me for?" Jack pouted indignantly. "Besides, the ones at the golf course are totally different. It's a rental, I hired it for us to use during our stay; we just have to plug it in to recharge when we're not using it. There are charging points all over the island; apparently these golf carts are the main form of transportation around here."

"Come to think of it, I do seem to remember seeing a few when we arrived last night."

"They're everywhere. I wanted a red one, but they only have blues and greens, to blend in with the scenery. This one's pretty though, it almost matches the sea." Jack was right, although to Ianto's eyes it was maybe a shade or two lighter than the deep turquoise of the sea.

"Well, since you know where we're going and I don't, I guess you'd better drive." Ianto climbed into the passenger side of the little electric vehicle. "Just don't exceed the speed limit; there don't appear to be seatbelts and I'd rather arrive for lunch in one piece."

"Don't worry, they're rigged for a top speed of about ten miles per hour, maybe twelve on a good downhill slope. We should be at the restaurant inside ten minutes." Jack slid into the driver's seat and stuck the key in the ignition.

"Excellent. Drive on then, chauffeur!" Ianto teased.

"Off we go!" Turning the key, Jack pressed his foot to the accelerator, swung the little cart around, and they headed up the path from their holiday home onto one of the many paved roadways that wound through the resort.

It was a remarkably smooth ride thanks to the well-kept roads, and Ianto spent the journey looking around himself, taking in the sights. It had been late and almost dark when they'd arrived the night before, so he hadn't been able to see much then; in daylight, it was really very picturesque; green foliage, bright tropical flowers, glimpses of the sea from various vantage points…

The buildings were spread out, and designed to blend into their surroundings so as not to spoil the views. Off to his left, nestled in the lush tropical vegetation, Ianto could just make out one of the low, sprawling hotels that were also part of the resort, but it quickly faded out of sight, lost amid the greenery. Every so often they passed other couples strolling along the roadways, or humming about in golf carts almost identical to the one they were in, just in different shades of blue and green, with a few sandy-coloured ones that seemed to be reserved for resort staff. Ianto noticed each vehicle had a sort of number plate on the back, presumably to make it easier for people to find the right one in a crowd. There were number tags attached to the keys as well, he realised, and he glanced at the one in the ignition of their vehicle: number seventy-seven. That would be easy to remember, even with his brain switched off for the duration of their stay.

Despite it being the middle of the holiday season, the resort didn't appear crowded, probably because it was spread out over such a wide area. At this point, the island was only three or four miles across, which meant there was plenty of beachfront real estate within easy reach of the main resort, ideal for the placement of the exclusive individual cabanas. Ianto thought it had been well worth the extra expense of renting one rather than staying in one of the hotels, especially since they were still free to use any of the hotel facilities, such as the pools, the gym, and the spa. Why anyone would want to work out in a gym while on holiday in a place like this, Ianto couldn't begin to imagine, but the spa might be worth checking out at some point.

Something nudged Ianto's shoulder; Jack, of course. "You can stop daydreaming now; we're here."

Ianto blinked and looked around, not sure exactly when he'd zoned out. They were just pulling into a sort of parking area alongside a low, whitewashed building with a thatched roof. Most of the building seemed to be open to the fresh sea air, the walls made up of panels that folded back out of the way, leaving the roof supported by a series of intricately carved and painted wooden pillars. Jack found an empty space and pulled in, getting out and plugging the buggy into a charging point disguised as a rustic post. There seemed to be one at every parking spot, for the convenience of diners.

As they crossed the parking lot, Ianto took in more of his surroundings. Inside the restaurant, he could see widely spaced tables and chairs, with a few more out on a terrace above the beach. There was also a bar, and a service area where you could have your meal made up for you on the spot, to eat in or take away. The place was about half full, with diners seated in pairs or small groups, talking quietly and radiating an aura of relaxation.

It was easy to see what Jack had meant about the salads; they were certainly colourful, made up of a wide assortment of vegetables, fruits, and nuts, with meat or fish, eggs or cheese, and in some cases, what looked like a bit of everything. There was no need to wait to be served either, you just walked up to the counter, selected what you wanted in your salad or sandwich from the covered dishes in the refrigerated cabinets, then took your meal away to eat wherever you wanted.

Jack and Ianto both went for seafood salads, Ianto's scattered with succulent prawns, and Jack's with fresh crabmeat. Along with that went green, red, and purple salad leaves, red peppers, cubes of orange melon, wedges of lemon and lime, slices of papaya, cucumber, dates, and on Jack's plate, the incongruous sight of a very un-tropical raw carrot.

Settling at a table on the terrace to enjoy the ocean vista, Ianto looked at Jack's plate with a raised eyebrow.

"A carrot, Jack? Really?" he asked archly.

"I like carrots," Jack defended his choice. "Good for night vision."

"Like you need help with that. You're always boasting about the advantages of 51st century genetics; enhanced vision included."

"Fine. I got it for the horses, okay? I thought it would be a nice treat for them." Jack deftly sliced the carrot into four pieces lengthways before wrapping it in a clean handkerchief and tucking it in his pocket.

Ianto chuckled. "You're just a great big softy deep down, aren't you?"

"Something wrong with that?"

"Not at all! It's one of the things I love most about you."

Jack smiled, not his megawatt grin, but the softer, warmer smile he reserved for Ianto. "You're the same; always kind to old ladies and stray animals, even if they're not of earth origin."

"Kindness shouldn't be reserved for our own species."

"No argument from me!" Jack dug into his meal with gusto. "So, after lunch, how about a stroll along the beach before our ride?"

"I think I could manage that."

They continued to chat idly as they ate, planning their afternoon.

"Have you ever ridden before?" Ianto asked.

"Of course! There was a time, a century or so ago, before cars were invented, when horses were the main mode of transport. I even owned a horse at one point. Lovely bay mare; won her in a card game. How about you?"

"Never owned a horse. Rode a bit in my youth, mostly pony rides at fairs, but I had a handful of lessons before my tad's fortunes changed and it became an unaffordable luxury. Went riding with Lisa a few times too. She was as at home in the country as in the city, loved getting back to nature." Ianto smiled, remembering. "She was a better rider than me really."

"I wish I could've known her."

"You'd have liked her, I think the pair of you would've got along well." Ianto's expression was slightly wistful. "We would've been great together as a threesome." He blushed slightly. "I toyed with the idea of suggesting it to her once she was well again. I loved her, but I was falling for you too and didn't want to lose either of you. Used to dream sometimes about the three of us setting up home together."

"You are a man ahead of your time, Ianto Jones," Jack said admiringly. "Far more open-minded than most people in this time. That's one of the reasons I was drawn to you; you'll give just about anything a try."

"Good thing, with some of the ideas you come up with," Ianto laughed. "I've got myself in more trouble since I met you than I ever did before, and that's despite being caught shoplifting back when we lived on the estate. You're a bad influence on me."

"You don't mean that."

"You're right, I don't. It's too late for me; I've already been completely corrupted." He smirked at Jack across the table. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

"I'm glad to hear that." Reaching across the table, Jack squeezed Ianto's hand before turning his attention back to eating.

Strolling hand in hand along the beach was a pleasant way to let their lunch go down, and they wiled away almost an hour enjoying the sunshine, the hot sand beneath their bare feet, and a pleasant breeze off the sea, before finally putting their sneakers back on and turning in the direction of the stables.

From wanting to laze away his holiday doing nothing but reading, Ianto found he was now looking forward to a lot of the fun activities Jack had planned for them. Riding around the island would be a pleasant way to spend the afternoon, and hadn't Jack said something about art classes? With the gorgeous scenery everywhere he looked, inspiration for their artistic endeavours wouldn't be hard to find. Then they'd be going on that nature walk into the jungle at the far end of the island after lunch tomorrow, and he'd always wanted to try scuba diving…

Yes, he could foresee a lot of fun ahead of them, although if Jack really thought he could be talked into entering the karaoke contest, he had another think coming. Ianto would happily watch his lover perform, Jack was good at that, he was a natural entertainer, but Ianto had no intention of getting up on stage himself.

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TBC in Part 3


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Holiday! – Part 3

 **Author:** badly-knitted

 **Characters:** Ianto, Jack.

 **Rating:** PG

 **Spoliers:** None.

 **Summary:** After a busy afternoon enjoying themselves, maybe it's time for Jack and Ianto to slow down a little.

 **Word Count:** 2156 words

 **Written For:** Week Three prompts 'Salt, Snack, Dreaming,' at torchwood_fest.

 **Beta:** My lovely friend milady_dragon. Thanks so much for being my beta again!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Torchwood, or the characters. They belong to the BBC.

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The afternoon seemed to have flown by as they'd ridden a well-marked route led by a guide, also on horseback, who'd pointed out things of interest as they'd passed. There'd even been a brisk canter along one stretch of beach, keeping to the firmer sand at the water's edge, the horses' hooves kicking up spray and moistening their trouser legs. By the time they completed the circuit and returned their horses to the stable yard, it was getting on towards early evening, although it would still be light for a few hours yet.

Dismounting, Ianto hit the ground and winced at the pain in certain areas of his anatomy. "Ow!" He threw a sheepish look Jack's way. "Saddle sore. I'd forgotten about that aspect of riding," he admitted.

Jack swung down from the saddle to join him, moving rather awkwardly too. "We're out of practice, that's all. Bound to be a bit sore to start with; it'll soon wear off."

"Not too sure about that," Ianto said with a wry smile. "I feel like I've been moulded to fit the shape of my horse; my legs might stay like this permanently."

"That could be interesting," Jack teased. "Opens up all kinds of possibilities." Ianto didn't have to look at him to know that he was smirking. "Don't worry about it; I'm just as bow-legged as you are."

"Difference is, you'll be back to normal inside an hour," Ianto grumbled. "I'll be swaggering like a cowboy for days!"

"Never underestimate a good swagger. It's a sexy look on you."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "You think everything's sexy."

"Only when it applies to you," Jack assured him.

"Whatever." Ianto feigned disinterest, but he was smiling.

Digging in his pocket, Jack pulled out the slightly wilted carrot he'd saved at lunch and offered Ianto half for his horse, a light roan appropriately named Sandy, before feeding the rest to Copper, the bright chestnut gelding he'd been riding.

"We should come back tomorrow. The more we ride, the less uncomfortable we'll be afterwards."

"What about all the other things you wanted to do? If we're always riding there won't be time for anything else."

"Mm, that's true." Jack's forehead creased up into a frown.

"Anyway, it's going to take me a couple of days at least to recover enough to get back in the saddle again, so if you want to ride tomorrow you'll be doing it alone."

"Fine, so we'll try something else tomorrow." Jack gave Copper a final pat before steering Ianto out of the stable yard, both of them doing the cowboy swagger. "Any preferences?"

"Didn't you want to do that nature walk?"

"Oooh, that's right, I forgot about that! And then afterwards we can try an art class so we can sit down for a while. We'll need it after all that walking." Jack checked his watch. "I know we were going to do that today, but the ride was longer than I'd expected so we're a bit late; it's not really worth going for the last half hour. How about we get a cold drink instead and relax in the shade for a bit?"

"Suits me," Ianto agreed. "I'm parched; hungry too, seems like lunch was hours ago. That's another thing I'd forgotten about riding; it works up an appetite."

"Drinks and snacks; sounds good. D'you want to go back to the restaurant, or try somewhere else?"

"How about we go to that bar we rode past earlier? The one at the far end of the bay, with the wide veranda overlooking the beach. If I remember right, it has padded chairs."

"Ah, good thinking; comfort is important, and the walk might help to ease the stiffness from riding." Jack changed direction, following a footpath that led down to the beach and they fell silent as they made their way across the sand to the water's edge, where they pulled their trainers and socks off so they could paddle in the sea, cooling their feet.

Despite being thirsty, they were in no real hurry and as the bar was only a short distance down the beach, they came abreast of it in less than fifteen minutes. Leaving the cool water of the bay behind, they stumbled and slithered across hot, dry, shifting sand, the loose grains clotting on their wet feet, until they reached the wide, wooden steps leading up to the bar's veranda. Brushing the worst of the sand off, they climbed the steps and entered the bar's main room. It was shady inside and surprisingly cool considering the outside temperature. Overhead, a ceiling fan spun lazily, as if it couldn't be bothered to make more of an effort, and the establishment's patrons lounged casually on tall stools at the bar, and in the comfy chairs that were dotted about in groups between tubs filled with tropical plants.

After a quick visit to the men's room to wash sand and horse off their hands, Jack and Ianto ambled over to the bar. Ianto perused the available snacks, while Jack ordered iced fruit juice in tall glasses, with slices of papaya and mango hooked over the sides, and jaunty cocktail umbrellas in bright colours sticking out of the tops. To go with their drinks, Ianto got them a plate of moist little coconut cakes topped with slices of fresh fruit, and several bags of crisps, which were sitting rather incongruously in wicker baskets spaced along the top of the bar.

Taking everything over to a couple of vacant chairs in a corner, almost hidden amidst foliage, they lowered themselves carefully onto the cushions. Well, Ianto did, since he was still feeling sore from riding. Jack seemed to be almost fully recovered and Ianto felt a pang of envy. He knew being immortal had a lot of downsides, but the fast healing was something he would welcome most days.

Jack raised an eyebrow at Ianto's choice of snacks. "Crisps? Seriously? We come to a tropical island and you buy crisps?"

"They're salty, and after all that exercise in the heat, I for one need to replenish my sodium levels. And anyway, when did you ever say no to a bag of crisps?"

"I wasn't turning them down, I just thought they were an odd choice, that's all."

Ianto shrugged. "They were right there on the bar, and I got us some tropical-flavoured snacks too, so don't criticise," he said primly.

"Wasn't." Jack stuck his tongue out at Ianto and snagged a bag of cheese and onion crisps, tearing it open and cramming a handful in his mouth.

"Nice table manners. And don't try to speak," Ianto added quickly, forestalling his lover. "I have no desire to be showered with crisp crumbs." Opening a packet of salt and vinegar, Ianto popped a single crisp in his mouth, crunched it up, and washed it down with a drink of fruit juice, managing to avoid getting poked in the eye by a cocktail umbrella. "Mm, that's nice and tart." To his mind, one of the best things about being on a tropical island was the abundance of fresh and exotic fruits and juices. "Very refreshing."

Jack swallowed his mouthful of crisps and sampled the juice himself. "Mmmmm, just the thing on a hot day." He plucked a cake from the plate and shoved the whole thing in his mouth at once, winking at Ianto, who just looked back at him, singularly unimpressed.

"I keep hoping that one of these days you'll learn to eat in a less disgusting manner," he sighed. "You're not fit to be seen in polite company."

Looking contrite, although Ianto couldn't tell whether or not he really was, Jack picked up a second cake and took a modest bite out of it. "Is that better?"

"It would be, if you refrained from speaking with your mouth full."

"These are good, you should try them." Finishing the cake, Jack reached for a third one.

"I intend to, if there's any left after I finish my crisps."

"Is that your subtle way of asking me to eat more slowly?"

"No, it's my subtle well of telling you that if you don't leave half of those for me, I'll go back to spending my holiday reading."

"You wouldn't!"

"Wanna bet?" Ianto raised one eyebrow, fixing his lover with an inscrutable look, and Jack shivered despite the heat.

"No, I don't think so; I'd probably lose."

"Wise decision."

"You know, we could just get a second plateful of cakes," Jack suggested.

"We could, but I don't want to spoil my appetite for dinner by eating too much now."

"Ah, right. So, not to change the subject, but what d'you want to do after we finish our snacks?"

"Hmmmm." Ianto cocked his head to one side, considering. "Why don't we head back to our cabana and go for a swim in the sea? Then we can have a siesta before going out for dinner at one of the other restaurants, and see where the evening takes us from there."

"I do like the way you think." Jack beamed across at Ianto.

"Thought you might." Ianto sounded positively smug.

They didn't rush through their snacks; even Jack slowed right down, sipping his drink and taking three or four bites per cake. Even so, half an hour later everything was gone, including the second round of drinks Jack had fetched. Ianto was so relaxed he was half asleep and yawning.

"Looks like you need to have your siesta before we go for that swim," Jack teased.

"I wouldn't say no," Ianto replied through a half-stifled yawn. "Must be all the fresh air making me sleepy." Hauling himself from his chair, he led the way out onto the veranda and flopped into one of the chairs out there, using his socks and hands to brush the rest of the sand from earlier off his feet, before putting both socks and trainers back on for the walk back to where they'd left their golf cart.

"Don't know why you're bothering; why not leave your feet bare? I am. We can shower when we get back to the cabana."

Ianto shrugged. "Suit yourself, but it's not all soft beach sand between here and the parking lot." Standing up, Ianto dusted off his hands. "Ready?"

"Yep! I was just waiting for you."

Hand in hand, with Jack carrying his shoes and socks in his free hand, they started to retrace their steps, strolling back along the beach and from there, onto the footpath past the stables and out onto the roadway. Jack hadn't gone more than a few steps on the paved surface before he started hopping from foot to foot, yelping.

"HOTHOTHOT!"

Ianto just laughed. "I did try to warm you," he smirked as Jack hotfooted it off the roadway and sat down on the ground to put his socks and shoes on over his slightly singed feet. Jack just pouted up at him.

Once Jack had something between his tender soles and the hot road surface, the rest of the walk proved uneventful and they were soon back at the restaurant where they'd had lunch several hours earlier. Jack unplugged the charging cord from their buggy and climbed in beside Ianto, starting the little vehicle up and steering them out onto the road.

Ten minutes later found them pulling into the driveway of their cabana, Jack parking the buggy in a little purpose-built recharging bay around the side of their holiday home that Ianto hadn't realised was there.

"I found it when I was exploring this morning," Jack explained. "It's what made me look into hiring transportation. Well, that and the leaflet I found on the kitchen counter."

"I didn't see any leaflet."

"You wouldn't have; I took it with me. It had a map and directions to the rental office on it. So, siesta or swim?"

"Siesta for me." Ianto yawned again. "You can do whatever you like, but I need a nap." He meandered around the side of the cabana to the beach and made his way to his lounger, still sitting in the shade where he'd left it, flaking out on it bonelessly. "Wake me in an hour or so?"

"If I'm awake then myself," Jack agreed, dropping a quick kiss on Ianto's lips before stretching out on the other lounger. "Think I'll join you for a Siesta; we can have a swim after, then shower to wash the salt off before we go to dinner."

The only reply from Ianto was a faint snore; he was already asleep, mouth slightly open and one arm dangling off the side of the lounger. Jack couldn't help the soppy smile that spread across his face at the sight.

"Sweet dreams, sweet prince," he murmured, and he sprawled on his side, watching Ianto, until he too nodded off, dreaming of the two of them spending the rest of their lives in this island paradise.

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The End… Or is it?

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 **A/N:** If anyone has ideas for further chapters, leave them as comments. If I get enough good ideas that I think I can work with, I might be persuaded to continue the story when time allows.


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